


Crash Into Me

by unsaltysaltines



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Except that it's soft, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Nicole is a Bad Patient, and snuggly, and way less angsty, but Wayhaught are Soft, canon-adjacent nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 17:57:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20101318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unsaltysaltines/pseuds/unsaltysaltines
Summary: Some filler for what could have/might have/should have happened after 2x05 and the final confrontation with Mictian in the Earps' barn.Or,Someone gets hurt, and Waverly feels like it's her fault.OR,STOP THROWING NICOLE INTO WALLS.





	Crash Into Me

**Author's Note:**

> This one-shot has literally been hanging out in my drafts since season 2, when I decided that Nicole should finally seek some proper medical treatment.
> 
> This hasn't been properly beta-ed, only tweaked a bit from its original form, so all mistakes are mine.

Nicole staggered slightly as she, Wynonna, and Waverly approached the homestead. Wynonna and Nicole were on either side of Waverly, each holding one of her arms to keep her upright.

Exorcising a demon, as it turned out, was pretty rough on a person’s body.

“Oof, _ fuck _,” Nicole hissed as she tripped over her own two feet in front of the house. She caught herself before she went flying into the bushes, losing her grip on Waverly’s arm in the process.

“Baby are you okay?”

Waverly stopped short and whipped around to look at Nicole, which in turn caused Wynonna, who wasn’t paying attention to where she was walking, to crash into her baby sister.

“Can’t you two wait until we’re inside to get back to sweet talking-- _ whoa _ there Haught Shit, you okay?”

Nicole felt all the blood drain from her face as all the sudden movement caught up to her. Her head started spinning and she felt like she was going to be very sick very soon.

“‘M fine,” she mumbled, doubling over to rest her hands on her knees. Wynonna grabbed on to her sister-- who didn’t look so great herself-- tighter, and they watched as Nicole stumbled a couple more steps and began heaving in the bushes.

“Been there, done that,” Wynonna said, wrinkling her nose and smirking at Waverly.

“_Wynonna _!” 

Waverly elbowed her sister sharply in the ribs. She pulled away from Wynonna’s supportive grip and rushed over as quickly as she could to check on Nicole.

Trying hard to catch her breath, Nicole sank to her knees on the cold ground. The worst of the nausea seemed to have passed, but it had been promptly replaced by a jackhammer behind her eyes. She felt a hand come to rest between her shoulders and looked up to see Waverly kneeling down beside her.

“Baby are you okay?” Waverly’s voice was soft and gentle as she tilted Nicole’s face up to meet her own. She couldn’t see any injuries, but she knew that meant nothing. Wrapping a hand around Nicole’s bicep, Waverly slowly helped Nicole to her feet. Nicole winced in pain as she stood up and, as the world started spinning around her again, felt Waverly’s arm snake around her waist as support.

“You should go lie down…” Nicole mumbled, even as she unconsciously leaned heavily on the smaller woman. “Get some rest. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m not the one who just barfed into the bushes!” Waverly exclaimed. She tightened her grip as she felt Nicole sway slightly on her feet. Nicole groaned in embarrassment and screwed her eyes shut tight.

“I must’ve hit my head when y…when I got tossed in the barn earlier,” Nicole grumbled. 

“Tossed…?” Waverly murmured to herself. She didn’t remember Nicole getting physical at _ all_, much less something as violent as that.

Waverly suddenly felt Nicole’s weight shift and knew something was off. Dolls ran the last couple yards to where the Earps and Nicole were all gathered, and caught Nicole before she could hit the ground-- and take Waverly with her-- as she passed out.

Waverly let go of Nicole’s waist as Dolls lifted the now-unconscious redhead into his arms.

“Call an ambulance,” Dolls said briskly to Wynonna. “And let’s get her inside.”

“C’mon, baby girl, let’s go get warm,” Wynonna said as she shepherded her baby sister up the porch steps and pulled her phone out of her pocket to make the call.

Dolls carefully set Nicole’s unconscious body down on Wynonna’s bed and started taking her pulse, all business. 

“This is all my fault,” Waverly groaned. She sank down on the bed beside Nicole and took her hand. “Last week she got thrown all over the place by that _ disgusting _ marzinok, and apparently she got tossed into the _ wall _ in the barn?”

Wynonna did a small double-take, forgetting for a moment that Waverly had been possessed during the whole encounter. Clearly, she didn’t remember flinging her girlfriend off to the side as easily as she might discard an empty soda can. 

_ Probably better that way_, Wynonna thought.

“Look, baby girl,” Wynonna said quietly. She gave Waverly’s shoulder a squeeze. “She’ll be _ fine _. She probably was trying to be all noble about it and didn’t want to say anything about being hurt until she knew you were okay.”

Waverly sighed, knowing Wynonna was definitely right. After Willa shot her, Nicole didn’t even let Waverly _ see _ the bruising on her chest for two days because she didn’t want to upset her. 

“You’re gonna be fine,” Waverly murmured, quietly enough that no one else could hear.

* * *

Everything hurt.

Nicole’s eyes fluttered open to bright lights and an awful lot of commotion. She felt someone’s hand on hers and tried to turn her head, only to be stopped by an almighty pounding in her head.

Waverly saw Nicole flinch slightly at the attempted movement and stood up so Nicole would be able to see her without moving her head.

“Baby?”

Nicole’s gaze was unfocused and slightly disoriented as she searched for Waverly without moving too much.

“What…”

“Nicole?” An unfamiliar voice cut in before she could get her question out, and an EMT leaned over to check on her now that she was awake.

“Nicole, we’re on our way to the hospital, okay?” He said brusquely and efficiently. “It sounds like you hit your head pretty hard.”

Nicole groaned in frustration. _ Great_. 

“You’re gonna be fine,” Waverly said quietly, lifting Nicole’s hand to her lips. “Just squeeze my hand if it hurts, okay?”

Nicole hummed in affirmation and gave a small nod, never taking her eyes away from Waverly’s. 

The ride to the hospital felt like torture. Of _ course _ the Earps lived way out in the middle of nowhere, off of Purgatory’s shittiest backroads with the biggest bumps and potholes. Nicole felt her body tense up with every bump, squeezing Waverly’s hand so hard she was afraid she might actually crush it.

After hitting a particularly large pothole, pain shot through Nicole’s body and dark spots started to appear at the corners of her vision again, and before she knew what was happening she’d blacked out again.

* * *

Nicole was taken away for tests almost immediately after they arrived at the hospital. She regained consciousness long enough for Waverly to give her a quick kiss before they had to part ways, and Waverly sank down onto a couch in the waiting room with Nicole still on her lips.

Thankfully, it wasn’t a particularly busy evening at Purgatory General, so the ER was quiet. So much had happened over the last few hours that suddenly, now that she had a minute to herself, she was exhausted beyond what she thought possible. Wynonna would be there any minute, but Waverly was glad she had a few minutes alone to process.

She still couldn’t remember a thing about what happened.

As Waverly racked her brain trying to figure out how everything had played out, Wynonna burst into the waiting room, looking frantically around until she spotted Waverly.

“Where’s Haught?” She asked, a hint of alarm in her voice.

“They’re running some tests,” Waverly responded, not getting up from her place on the couch. “It’s probably a concussion, but they want to rule out anything more serious. Wynonna, what the hell _ happened_?”

“You sure you want to know, baby girl?” Wynonna said quietly. She sat down beside Waverly and hooked an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “It was kinda intense.”

“I _ need _ to know, because I need to _ remember. _”

Wynonna saw a flash of fear in her sister’s eyes as she emphasized the last word.

Waverly listened to Wynonna recount the evening’s events with wide eyes, her heart sinking lower and lower as Wynonna told her everything Mictian had done in its last futile attempt to take over her body.

“So I’m the reason she’s hurt,” Waverly said once Wynonna finished talking. She couldn’t believe those words were coming out of her mouth. “_ I’m _ the one who did this to her.”

Wynonna felt Waverly tense up beside her and heard rising panic in her voice. 

“_No! _ No, you’re not!” she exclaimed. “Sure, that little shit sausage was using your _ body _ to do it, but it wasn’t _ you _ . Nicole knows that, okay? She knows you-- _ Waverly _ \-- would _ never _ hurt her.”

Waverly mumbled a vague “Sure,” not sure at all that she would be able to forgive herself. Sure, she may have been possessed at the time, but it was still Waverly’s own two hands that did the damage. She stared at her hands, hardly able to process what they had been capable of.

* * *

Waverly dozed on Wynonna’s shoulder while they waited for Nicole. Doc, Dolls, and even Jeremy had come tumbling in not long after Wynonna, and had joined them in anxious silence.

A doctor finally appeared, looking for Waverly, who stood up and followed her out of the room.

As Waverly followed the doctor, what felt like a million questions came bubbling out of her all at once.

“How is she? Is she awake? Was there anything on her MRI? Whe-”

“Slow down, Ms. Earp,” the doctor said with a soft laugh. She rested a comforting hand on Waverly’s shoulder.

“Waverly. Just…Waverly is fine.”

The doctor nodded. “She bruised a couple of ribs, which will heal themselves over time and, based on her initial MRI, it looks like there’s no bleeding. Nicole is going to be fine, but she _ did _ sustain a pretty severe concussion, which will probably take a while to heal.”

“Okay…” Waverly’s stomach dropped. “What…what does that mean for her? Like, I know what a concussion _ is _ but…”

“She’s sedated now, so that her body can have a chance to rest. I want to keep her here for observation a day or two, based on the symptoms she presented with. It’s generally more serious when someone blacks out after a head injury-”

_ That I caused. _Waverly felt her stomach twist with guilt.

“-and, as I’m sure you saw, she was still pretty out of it when she got here. She might be disoriented or have trouble focusing for a while while she recovers, and she will definitely experience some physical effects for the time being.”

“Like what?”

“It depends on the case, but probably headaches and fatigue, and she may have some trouble with her balance. It will depend on her specific injury.”

“Okay.” Waverly said quietly. “Can I see her?”

* * *

A nurse walked with Waverly in the direction of Nicole’s room. The door was closed and the blinds drawn, and most of the lights in the room were turned off.

“She might be sensitive to light when she wakes up, so we’re going to keep the lights low for a while,” the nurse explained. She quickly checked on Nicole and left, closing the door behind her and leaving Waverly and Nicole alone.

Nicole was still asleep, and Waverly had never seen her look so vulnerable. Her cheeks still hadn’t gotten their color back, and in contrast to her pale blue hospital gown Nicole almost looked worse than she had earlier.

Waverly dragged over a chair from the side of the room and settled herself on Nicole’s left side, avoiding the IV drip and monitors that had been set up on the other. She took Nicole’s hand between both of her own and was surprised by how cold it was. Usually, it was _ Waverly _ whose hands were cold.

“Baby, you’re _ freezing_,” Waverly murmured. She rubbed Nicole’s hand between hers and kissed her knuckles gently. “You really took a hit, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

The sound of Nicole’s weak voice nearly gave Waverly a heart attack.

Nicole smirked as she watched her girlfriend’s cheeks flush red.

“You’re awake!” Waverly exclaimed.

Nicole winced slightly at the volume. “Too loud, baby.”

“I’m so sorry,” Waverly said, quieter this time. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Waverly smiled at her, and Nicole was surprised she didn’t see her heart rate spike on the monitor. Even when she’d been possessed by a body-snatching demon just hours earlier, the light that radiated off of Waverly Earp still hadn’t dimmed. As she stood up and pressed a kiss to Nicole’s temple, Nicole felt warmth flood her entire body.

“It’ll take more than a knock on the head to get rid of me.”

Nicole grinned goofily, clearly still under the influence of the sedatives. Waverly laughed and kissed her cheek before leaning over to fully capture Nicole’s lips in a kiss.

“Well that’s good, because you saw me barf up a demon. You’re stuck with me.” Waverly murmured, resting her forehead against Nicole’s.

All Nicole wanted was Waverly’s arms around her. To feel _ her _ Waverly next to her again. She slid over a little, ignoring the pain the movement caused in her upper body, and patted the space on the bed beside her.

“Are you sure?” Waverly asked. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I…I need you close.”

Nicole felt her face burn red as the words slipped out, bypassing any sort of filter. The clumsiness of her words felt embarrassing, but looking at Waverly it was clear that she didn’t feel the sentiment was clumsy or foolish at all.

“Of course.”

Waverly’s face, which was deeply etched with stress and anxiety, softened slightly. She stretched out on her side, so she was lying with her body flush with Nicole’s.

“Just let me know if I’m hurting you at all, okay?” Waverly said softly. She propped herself up on one elbow and ran her other hand through Nicole’s red tresses tenderly, smoothing the waves back behind her ear over and over.

“You could never hurt me, Waves.” She kissed Waverly again, suddenly feeling exhausted. Waverly’s stomach clenched with guilt at her words, but she continued the same soothing motion.

“Sleepy?” Waverly asked, noticing Nicole’s eyes taking on the same heavy look they often did after a long day.

“Mmm,” Nicole hummed. If anything, the gentle, repetitive motion of Waverly playing with her hair was putting her to sleep more than the drugs coursing through her bloodstream. Waverly let out a huge yawn of her own and settled herself a little deeper beside Nicole.

“I can go if you wan-”

“Stay.”

That was all the convincing Waverly needed. She didn’t let Nicole try rolling on to her side, instead opting to wrap one arm around her midsection and curl her body around Nicole’s as closely as she could. 

Waverly smiled as she watched the redhead make herself comfortable. The other woman was asleep within minutes, her head rolling to one side so her forehead rested against Waverly’s.

When Wynonna barged in to see whether or not Waverly had been abducted, she stopped short at the sight of both women sound asleep and looking so peaceful, for once.

“Get out, get _ out! _” She hissed, quickly whipping around to frantically shoo the rest of the team back down the hall. “We’ll come back later!”

The next day, Nicole got to leave the hospital, but on one major condition-- that someone stay with her to keep an eye on her and make sure she didn’t develop serious complications. She rolled her eyes when the doctor explained everything she needed to avoid, grumbling that she didn’t need a babysitter.

“Baby, _ some _one needs to keep you from sneaking off to the office.” Waverly laughed as Nicole’s brow crinkled and an adorable pout planted itself on her face.

Waverly tried to get her to come back to the homestead, but Nicole insisted on going back to her place. Less chance of supernatural interruptions, she said. Waverly couldn’t say she blamed her-- the homestead tended to be loud and unpredictable, which wasn’t super conducive to recovery.

Plus, she wanted to snuggle with her cat.

* * *

“Waves?” Nicole called from her bedroom, “Can you c’mere? I need…help.”

“What do you need?” 

Waverly walked into the room, clad in a pair of Nicole’s plaid pajama bottoms and in the middle of wringing her hair out with a towel, to find Nicole perched stiffly on the edge of her bed in only a tank top, a grimace on her face.

“Can you…uh…can you help me get this off? Turns out I can’t move my arms super well when I’m not pumped full of painkillers…”

“Of course,” Waverly said. She tossed her towel aside onto the bed and nudged Nicole’s knees apart so she could position herself close to the redhead.

“Oh my god.” Waverly’s eyes widened as she pulled the tank up over Nicole’s stomach and got a good look at the bruising, fresh bruises mixed with those from the week before, on her ribs and down her side. She gently guided one arm through one of the tank’s sleeves, but stopped abruptly when Nicole flinched.

“_Shit _ that hurts,” Nicole hissed. Her eyes watered in pain as Waverly pulled the garment over her head and down her other arm quickly and discarded it, tossing it towards the hamper in the corner of the room. “Thanks. How was the shower?”

Waverly sighed and shuddered. “Something still feels _ off _.”

”Do you want to talk about it?” Nicole took Waverly’s hands gently. She stood up gingerly, unable to quite draw herself up to her full height because of the pain in her ribs, and kissed Waverly’s forehead gently. “It’s been kind of a crazy few weeks.”

“Probably, but I bet a hot shower will make all this feel so much better.” Waverly trailed her fingers gently over some of the bruising on Nicole’s ribs, careful not to press even slightly on the injured areas. “If you grab the Badger Balm while you’re in there, we can see if that makes it ache a little less.” 

“That sounds fantastic.” Nicole gave Waverly a quick kiss before grabbing her towel and going to the bathroom, suddenly very chilly in just her bra.

Nicole closed the bathroom behind her and unfastened her bra, looking at her reflection in the mirror over the sink. She finally was able to get a good look at the bruising that had blossomed over her ribcage where she had collided with the pile of junk in the Earps’ barn, and winced at the sight.

Apparently Mictian was much stronger than she had realized.

She turned the temperature up as high as she could and let the water cascade down her body, trying to wash away everything that had happened. The water making contact with her skin made her bruises ache slightly, but she stayed under the stream as long as she could.

Waverly crawled into Nicole’s bed in disbelief at the week’s events. Sure, things were never exactly _ normal _ in Purgatory, but this demon encounter was different than most. 

More personal.

But still, they were back at Nicole’s going about things as though nothing had happened– Nicole had fed the cat while Waverly made them dinner, just like any other perfectly normal day.

Except that only a few days previously, Waverly was possessed by a demon. A demon that had taken over Waverly’s body and flung Nicole across the barn like it was nothing, putting her out of commission for weeks.

“Baby, are you okay?”

Waverly jumped at the sound of Nicole’s voice. She was dressed in gym shorts and an old college tank, and her red hair was hanging, damp from the shower, in loose waves. It really did look adorable that way. The new, shorter length suited her perfectly.

“I just don’t get how you can _ sleep _ like that.” Waverly said, shivering at the thought of wearing so little clothing to bed, especially in the dead of winter. She snuggled deeper into the warm bed, drawing the blankets up to her chin with one hand and folding the corner back for Nicole with the other.

The taller woman let out a deep groan as she sank down into her bed, relishing the softness of flannel sheets against her skin and the feeling of Waverly beside her. She tried rolling over to face Waverly, but was sharply reminded that that wasn’t such a wise idea.

“Waves, seriously. Are you okay? You looked awful upset when I came in.”

Waverly sighed. “We really don’t have to talk about this now, it’s fine. Before we get too comfortable, d’you want to try the Badger Balm?”

Nicole raised her eyebrows expectantly. “Only if you let me know what’s on your mind while you do it.”

“_Fine _…” Waverly grumbled. Nicole kissed the tip of her nose and they both sat up so Waverly could get a better angle. 

Waverly gently pushed up Nicole’s tank and began rubbing the pain relieving balm into Nicole’s skin, apologizing profusely as Nicole inhaled sharply. 

They were quiet for a minute while Waverly massaged Nicole’s side. Nicole held up the hem of her tank top and watched Waverly’s gentle hands smooth over her bruised skin while she tried to breathe through the initial pain of it. Her gaze flickered up to scan Waverly’s face, and saw her brow was furrowed in thought.

“I guess I just…keep thinking about the other night,” Waverly said, her thoughts breaking through the silence. “Everything that happened out in the barn…”

“There was a demon trying to steal your body away _ forever _, Waves. That’s not something you just…ah…” Nicole’s voice trailed off as she lost track entirely of what it was she wanted to say. She furrowed her brow and stared into the distance in confusion, trying to get it back.

“_Damn _it…” Nicole hissed.

“Nicole, it’s _ okay_.” Waverly said, watching as Nicole’s cheeks flushed redder and redder with frustration and embarrassment. “The doctor said that might happen, remember?” She cupped Nicole’s cheek and gently ran her thumb over Nicole’s soft skin. Nicole leaned into Waverly’s touch and sighed. She knew Waverly was right, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel like an idiot.

“Just finish what you were saying a minute ago, Waves. About the other night?”

Nicole just wasn’t going to let it go. Waverly sighed as she screwed the cover back on the balm and set it aside.

“I…keep thinking about everything that Wynonna told me. I don’t remember any of it, but…” Waverly’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I _ hurt _ you.”

“_Waverly _ …” Nicole took Waverly’s hand in hers and threaded their fingers together. “That wasn’t you. _ You _ didn’t do anything.”

“I feel responsible for everything. I mean, if you’d landed a little harder, who _ knows _ what could have happened?” Waverly shuddered at the thought.

“But I didn’t. I’m going to be _ fine_-”

“-as long as you follow the doctor’s instructions!”

Nicole rolled her eyes playfully at the interruption. “_Yes,_ Nurse Waverly. But my _ point _ is, we’re okay and we’re here and you look really hot in that t-shirt…” 

“I’m serious!” Waverly exclaimed as she swatted at Nicole playfully. 

Nicole laughed. “So am I.” She leaned in and rested her forehead against Waverly’s. “I don’t blame you for _ any _ of what happened, Waves. Even if I’d ended up with permanent brain damage I _ still _ wouldn’t blame you for it.”

“Nicole, don’t _ joke _ about that!” Waverly exclaimed indignantly, sitting up straight. “It’s not like this is the first time you’ve hit your head on the job, and I don’t want…I can’t lose you.” She finished quietly.

“Where you go, I go,” Nicole murmured. “And I promise, I’m not going anywhere…except maybe to sleep,” she added with a huge yawn.

“You must be exhausted,” Waverly said as they both laid down and snuggled into the blankets. Beside her, Nicole let out a small noise of frustration as she tried to find a comfortable sleeping position that didn’t hurt.

“C’mere.”

Waverly rolled onto her side, put a pillow between them, and, avoiding where she knew was bruised, gently guided Nicole back so she was resting on her good side, supported by both Waverly’s body and the pillow.

“How’s that feel?” Waverly asked quietly, pressing a kiss to the side of Nicole’s neck as she settled herself behind the redhead. In response, Nicole let out what was nothing close to an actual word, but what could only be described as a contented groan as the pain and pressure on her ribs eased up.

“Glad I could help,” Waverly said with a quiet laugh.

* * *

Waverly carefully slipped out of bed the next morning, trying not to disturb Nicole as she pulled the blankets back behind her.

Nicole lifted her head slightly from her pillow and blinked sleepily up at Waverly.

“‘M gonna be late for work,” Nicole mumbled. She started to sit up, but Waverly stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. She leaned in and kissed Nicole gently.

“Baby, you’re not going to work.” Waverly said softly. She rested her forehead against Nicole’s. “You’re on leave, remember?”

Nicole wrinkled her nose at the reminder. “Gross.”

“Just go back to sleep; I’ll make you breakfast when you get up.” Waverly kissed Nicole again and left the bedroom, closing the door gently behind her.

Nicole, who was usually up and about by 7AM, slept until almost noon. Waverly was halfway upstairs to check on her when Nicole appeared at the top of them, rubbing her eyes and dressed in leggings and an oversized sweater. She looked much better rested than she had the day before, and Waverly sighed in relief.

“Well hey,” Waverly said.

She grinned up at Nicole and Nicole felt her heart skip a beat. She really was the most beautiful woman Nicole had ever seen, even in sweatpants. 

_ Especially _ in sweatpants.

“Hey yourself,” Nicole said, meeting Waverly halfway down the stairs and greeting her with a kiss. “I didn’t mean to sleep so late. I feel like a slug.”

“You’re gonna have to get used to taking it easy, baby.”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “Taking it easy” wasn’t something she’d ever done very well. The last time she’d taken a sick day (more like been _ forced _ to take a sick day) was after she’d gotten food poisoning, and even in between bouts of being violently sick she’d _ still _ managed to get work done.

Apparently Waverly remembered that particular incident as well, because Nicole soon found herself under her girlfriend’s hypervigilant eye. She knew Waverly meant well, and she didn’t _ really _ want permanent brain damage, but she couldn’t help it. She was _ already _bored.

* * *

Nicole Rayleigh Haught was easily one of the most stubborn people Waverly had ever met. While Nicole was reluctant to actually admit to Waverly that she was having a difficult time, she noticed that within a couple of days Nicole gave up entirely on her backlog of true crime podcasts; every time she tried to listen, she would come away halfway through with a pained grimace, rubbing her temples.

“Baby, it’s okay to admit you don’t feel like doing anything,” Waverly said from her end of the couch after watching Nicole yank out her headphones, cursing a blue streak and close to tears.

Nicole bit her tongue to keep from snapping at Waverly. She knew her girlfriend just wanted to help her feel better, but it was frustrating beyond words to not even be able to make it through an hour-long podcast without developing a splitting headache.

“D’you want to go lie down?” Waverly asked quietly. She slid over on the couch and began rubbing Nicole’s back between her shoulder blades. “You’re making your brain work hard when what it _ needs _ is to rest and heal. I know you know that.”

Nicole laughed weakly. “I know,” She admitted, “But it’s just so frustrating. And _ you _ ,” she added, “shouldn’t have to be here babysitting me! There are revenants to deal with! And demons! Oh my god, why am I _ crying_?!” Nicole sniffed, tears very suddenly splashing down her cheeks.

“Because you hit your head really hard, baby.” Waverly kissed Nicole’s forehead gently and laughed as Nicole shot her the sharpest glare she could muster. “And for the record, I’m more than happy to be here ‘babysitting’ you. C’mon,” she said, standing up and extending her hand, “Let’s go lie down, okay?”

Nicole’s head was killing her, so she couldn’t exactly argue with the prospect of a nap. She took the hand Waverly was offering and followed the brunette up to the bedroom.

Even though she’d made the bed when they’d gotten up that morning, Nicole had left the shades closed tight against the daylight that usually poured into her bedroom. It was just way too bright. Walking into the dark room, Nicole instantly felt some relief from the pounding behind her eyes. 

She really was tired, even in spite of all her protests and her insistence on pushing herself.

“I’m gonna read, but let me know if the light’s bothering you, okay?” Waverly said quietly, holding up the tablet that was resting on her nightstand. She grabbed a blanket from where it was neatly folded at the foot of Nicole’s bed and spread it out over both of them.

“‘S okay, baby,” Nicole mumbled as she cuddled up beside Waverly. She slung an arm across Waverly’s lap, and almost immediately felt Waverly’s fingers begin to trail back and forth across the exposed skin of her arm. A chill went up Nicole’s spine as goosebumps erupted on her arms.

The room was dark and quiet, save for the soft glow coming off Waverly’s tablet as she read. Nicole was asleep beside Waverly in minutes; the rise and fall of her chest grew slower and deeper as she drifted off, and Waverly continued to lazily run her fingers over her girlfriend’s arm as she read.

Waverly wished every day could be like this. Unlike the homestead, Nicole’s entire house radiated calm, from the soothing blues on the walls to the carefully curated photographs scattered across the entire place. It was almost as if you couldn’t tell that they lived in a town crawling with demon revenants, or that their lives were in near-constant jeopardy. 

All she’d ever wanted was this, to have someone she loved close to her and to be reading a good book. 

Waverly sighed softly as she allowed herself to disappear into the moment. To pretend like everything was normal, like her girlfriend wasn’t recovering from a serious injury sustained at her own hand.

“I love you, Nicole.”

She savoured the way the words felt on her tongue, coming out barely louder than a whisper. 

Someday, she’d be able to tell her properly.

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/unsaltysaltines), where I can frequently be found yelling into the void about how many concussions this poor girl has surely sustained by now.


End file.
